Trump Asks Musk to Rescue Astronauts 'Stranded' on ISS
Trump urges Elon Musk's SpaceX to rescue NASA astronauts "stranded" on the ISS, while NASA confirms their return by March via a joint SpaceX mission.
Former US President Donald Trump has called on Elon Musk’s SpaceX to rescue two NASA astronauts he claims are “stranded” aboard the International Space Station (ISS). However, NASA has clarified that the astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, are not stranded and will return to Earth by the end of March.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, stated that he had urged Musk and SpaceX to get “the 2 brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration.” He further wished Musk good luck on the rescue mission, highlighting his concern for the astronauts’ prolonged stay. “Good luck Elon!!!” Trump added.
The astronauts, Wilmore and Williams, launched to the ISS in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, initially expected to stay for just 10 days. However, due to technical issues, including malfunctioning thrusters, their return was delayed. The spacecraft left without them, leaving the two astronauts on the space station.
NASA has insisted that the astronauts are not stranded in space. The space agency explained that they could return at any time, but bringing them back prematurely could leave the ISS understaffed, potentially jeopardizing ongoing scientific experiments and maintenance. Instead, a new SpaceX Crew Dragon rescue mission has been planned, which will bring four new astronauts to the station and safely return Wilmore and Williams. NASA recently announced that the Crew-10 mission’s launch has been delayed to March.
Despite NASA's reassurances, Trump seems eager to expedite their return through his connection with Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and a key Trump ally. Musk, who heads SpaceX, confirmed on social media that he had been asked by Trump to bring the astronauts back. He also criticized the Biden administration for what he called the "astronaut emergency return mission" delay, claiming it was “terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”
The latest news on astronauts in space highlights the ongoing collaboration between NASA and SpaceX to resolve the ISS emergency evacuation plan. SpaceX and NASA are now working together on the mission to safely bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth. Trump’s comments on space exploration underscore his continued interest in accelerating the return of astronauts and his reliance on Musk’s private space endeavors to solve the crisis.
